What can we do?

What shall we do if every fourth person compile their shopping list from promotional leaflets? What shall we do if a promotion requires at least 20-25 percent discount? What shall we do if our consumers are still delighted about buying cheap products? What shall we do if store loyalty turns to be stronger than brand loyalty? Trends and counter-trends follow each other and when times are volatile consumers become more sensitive. I think if we examine things in their complexity a well-planned promotion still does good to our brand, all we have to do is pay attention to all the details of the path that takes us to our goal. In April we offered many interesting programmes to our readers and two of them are featured in the present issue of our magazine. One of them was the ‘Promotion of the year’ trade day and award ceremony, where we heard exciting presentations and successful promotions were introduced. The other event was the April meeting of Trade Marketing Club, where market researchers presented the most important data regarding the year 2010. Although data from the first quarter of 2011 indicate hardships again, my view is that we have to keep going forward. We have to hold on a bit longer and we will become part of the regional boom and will have a more positive state of mind.

Zsuzsanna Hermann, Editor in chief